Florida Police Raid Home of Data Scientist Fired Over COVID-19 Tracker Controversy

Florida police raided Monday the home of a former state Department of Health data scientist who built the state's COVID-19 case tracker.

The data scientist, Rebekah Jones, recounted the events that unfolded during the raid on her Twitter account. She said Florida police came to her house and drew guns.

"They pointed a gun in my face. They pointed guns at my kids," she said.

 Police took the data scientist's phone and computer, which she used to post the case numbers in Florida daily. 

Jones Allegedly Had Illegal Access to Florida's Messaging System

Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger confirmed that Jones was indeed served with a search warrant.

In a complaint, it was alleged that Jones had unauthorized use of the statewide messaging system used for emergency alerts, reported Newsweek.

The investigation on the said text started on November 10, the day the text was sent, said Plessinger.

"As part of our investigation, FDLE agents served a search warrant this morning at the Centerville Court residence," said FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen.

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He said the unauthorized message's location was traced back to Jones' home. Swearingen also said the agents knocked as they announced that they had a search warrant.

Agents also encouraged Jones to cooperate but did not answer the door for 20 minutes, he added.

The FDLE said the agents followed protocol when they conducted the raid. The seized devices will undergo forensic analysis, and no weapons were pointed at anyone in the home, the department said.

Representatives to Florida governor Ron DeSantis and the Department of Health declined further comment on the incident. 

Jones Claims Florida Governor Wants Her to 'Shut Up'

Jones claimed that DeSantis ordered the raid, but authorities said it was done due to a "security breach."

Jones said she believes she was "sent the gestapo" to be "silenced."

"This is what happens to scientists who do their job honestly," Jones said on her Twitter thread.

"This is what happens to people who speak truth to power."

In a report by the Sun Sentinel, Jones denied ever hacking the messaging system. She said she only did statistics and analysis of data. 

She added that she was not a hacker and had never had access to the messaging system. Jones was fired for alleged insubordination, reported Fox News. 

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DeSantis' office earlier told Miami Herald that Jones' "insubordination" was a repeated event during her time at the department.

She also allegedly made some "unilateral decisions" to change the COVID-19 tracker without asking for input or approval from her supervisors.

But according to Sun Sentinel, she was wrongfully taken off her position for "refusing to manipulate COVID-19 statistics."

Jones now maintains her own website, posting coronavirus statistics on her own. She also utilized a crowdfunding program to put up her own COVID-19 dashboard.

Jones formerly served as the head of the Florida Department of Health's Geographic Information Services division, which maps and tracks data. At the time, she said her firing wasn't under control by her division.